Clawson pianoman Matthew Ball grabs 2.1M YouTube views

By Monica Drake, For the Daily Tribune

Friday, January 18, 2013

Matthew Ball of Clawson left his career as an attorney to follow his passion of being a boogie woogie pianist. And since following this new career path, Ball has posted 150 YouTube videos, which has garnered him more than 2.1 million total views. He said he has about 40,000 views per month.

“I love YouTube, and it has been such an empowering tool. Today, it’s such an exposure tool,” said Ball. “I’m surprised I got so many views. But I wouldn’t have that many views if it didn’t speak to people in some way.”

Ball graduated from Oakland University with a double major in history and music, and he attended the University of Detroit Mercy for law school.

“In 2001, I was unhappily practicing law, and I was searching for something else that spoke to me,” said Ball.

That year, Ball attended a Boogie Woogie festival in Royal Oak, which inspired him to pursue a career as a full-time pianist.

“I was miserable practicing law. It wasn’t for me,” said Ball. “I had a background in music, so it was just natural for me. I had started taking (piano) lessons when I was 5 years old.”

He said his favorite song to perform is “Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie” by blues musician Pinetop Perkins.

Ball has performed at the Woodward Dream Cruise, New York Tulip Jazz Festival, Chicago Public Library, Jazz on Jefferson Festival in Detroit, Pemberville Opera House in Ohio and Pine Knob Mansion in Independence Township — to name a few. He has also been featured on the Fox 2 News Entertainment Spotlight, Clawson Public Television, Oak Park Public Television, Pleasant Ridge Public Television and Birmingham/Bloomfield Television.

Ball’s next performance is at a benefit concert event for the newly formed Clawson Cultural Foundation, which plans family cultural events for Clawson residents.

The event will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 at Clawson United Methodist Church, 205 North Main St.

The Clawson Cultural Foundation began last year with its debut event The Clawson Arts & Authors Festival, which featured more than 40 Michigan artisans, and will return this year on Sept. 8. More events are in the works for 2013, including an American Idol-styled music competition May 19 with the winners getting a chance to play at The Black Lotus Brewery in Clawson.

Ball and his wife, Lisa, have put together this benefit concert event to help fund the Clawson Cultural Foundation and the projects for the new year. Proceeds from the concert will go to fund the Foundation.

“The Clawson Cultural Foundation is trying to bring more music, art and literature events to the city. We live in the city, and those are the kinds of things we would like to see blossom inside Clawson,” said Ball.

Cost for admission to the concert is $8 for adults or $15 for two tickets. Kids get in free. The show will last 90 minutes.

For more information, visit boogiewoogiekid.com, call 248-589-0056 or emailmatt@boogiewoogiekid.com.